Junior All-American Gabriela Demoner provided the lone goal of the
match with a little luck to lift the Ravens past Merrimack this
afternoon. PHOTO BY Greg Wall.
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Demoner shot through goalkeeper hands the difference as Ravens
win away from sixth NE-10 regular season title
Boxscore
RINDGE, N.H. (October 25,
2008) - Franklin Pierce University, ranked 15th
in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, is just a win away from claiming
its sixth Northeast-10 Conference regular season championship after
notching a 1-0 victory over No. 21 Merrimack College in a battle
between two of the three teams tied atop the Conference standings
in women's soccer action at Sodexo Field this afternoon.
Franklin Pierce (12-3-1, 10-2-1
NE-10) can clinch at least a share of the NE-10 regular season
title, along with The College of Saint Rose (13-3-1, 10-2-1), with
a victory in its regular season finale on Wednesday at Stonehill
College (3:30 p.m.) The Ravens would also earn the top seed in the
upcoming NE-10 Tournament as a result of its head-to-head victory
over Saint Rose earlier this season.
Senior goalkeeper Brittany Ester made one second half save to
preserve her sixth shutout of the season (19th career). PHOTO
BY Richard Orr Sports Photography.
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Junior All-American
Gabriela Demoner (Curitiba, Brazil) scored the
lone goal just 2:58 into the match when she directed a ball from
19-yards out on the right channel towards the goal that appeared
like it would be scooped up by Merrimack senior goalkeeper
Shannon Rowan (Fair Haven, N.J./Rumson-Fair
Haven). However, Rowan took her eye off the ball and it
squirted through her hands and into the goal.
Senior goalkeeper Brittany
Ester (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) made one second
half save to preserve her sixth shutout of the season
(19th career). Rowan finished with one stop for
Merrimack, who was out shot by a slim 9-6 margin in the tightly
contested match. Both teams mustered just three shots each in the
second half.
Merrimack had a good opportunity to
level the match just moments after Demoner's sixth goal of the
season, but sophomore Ashley Alnwick (Groton,
Mass./Groton-Dunstable) got the ball caught up in her legs
long enough for Ester to charge off her line and smother the
scoring chance in the seventh minute.
Demoner nearly added an insurance
goal in the 69th minute, but her drive from 20-yards out
just left of center, caromed off the left post with the keeper
beaten.
Franklin Pierce will host a
Northeast-10 Quarterfinal next Sunday, November 2, at a time to be
announced. Merrimack (11-3-2, 9-3-1 NE-10) visits American
International College on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
